Evaluation of Sleep Quality in a Disaster Evacuee Environment.

Hitomi Ogata,Miki Kaneko,Momoko Kayaba,Keiko Ogawa,Ken Kiyono

doi:10.3390/ijerph17124252

Abstract

We aimed to evaluate sleep and sleep-related physiological parameters (heart rate variability and glucose dynamics) among evacuees by experimentally recreating the sleep environment of evacuation shelters and cars. Nine healthy young male subjects participated in this study. Two interventions, modeling the sleep environments of evacuation shelters (evacuation shelter trial) and car seats (car trial), were compared with sleep at home (control trial). Physiological data were measured using portable two-channel electroencephalogram and electrooculogram monitoring systems, wearable heart rate sensors, and flash glucose monitors. Wake after sleep onset (WASO) and stage shift were greater in both intervention trials than the control trial, while rapid-eye movement (REM) latency and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) 1 were longer and REM duration was shorter in the evacuation shelter trial than the control trial. Glucose dynamics and power at low frequency (LF.p) of heart rate variability were higher in the car trial than in the control trial. It was confirmed that sleep environment was important to maintain sleep, and affected glucose dynamics and heart rate variability in the experimental situation.

Highlights

Japan has long suffered from a variety of natural disasters, including strong earthquakes and destructive typhoons, due to its geographical characteristics [1]
The temperature in the bedclothes near their chest was significantly lower in the evacuation shelter trial (25.0 ± 2.5 ◦ C, p < 0.01) and in the car trial (26.8 ± 2.3 ◦ C, p < 0.05) than in the control trial (30.1 ± 2.1 ◦ C), while the relative humidity was lower in the evacuation shelter trial (40.0 ± 6.0%, p < 0.05) and the car trial (37.2 ± 7.1%, p = 0.051) than in the control trial (46.5 ± 7.1%)
According to the post hoc test, Wake after sleep onset (WASO) and stage shift were increased in both the evacuation shelter trial and the car trial compared with the control trial, while rapid-eye movement (REM) latency and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) 1 were longer and REM duration shorter in the evacuation shelter trial than the control trial (Table 2)

Summary

Introduction

Japan has long suffered from a variety of natural disasters, including strong earthquakes and destructive typhoons, due to its geographical characteristics [1]. There has been an increase in the occurrence of typhoons and heavy rain followed by floods/landslides due to climate change, in addition to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions [2]. Many people are forced to live in public evacuation shelters, such as school gymnasiums and community centers. Based on Japan’s Disaster Relief Act, evacuation shelters are customarily opened as soon as possible and closed within seven days of a serious occurrence; they take more time to close [3]. Earthquake in 1995 [4] The environment of those affected by disasters is very harsh. They are forced to sleep directly on the floor without sufficient privacy and air conditioning. Many choose to stay overnight in their car to maintain their privacy or to avoid the crying of babies at night, accompanying pets, etc., despite government recommendations to take shelter in a public place set up by municipalities [5]

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